Stephen Freeman

As far as I know the various iterations of C&L have always used the original moulds done by the late Len Newman (the L of both K&L and C&L) with a few exceptions. The 2 bolt chairs and the latest chairs etc that Phil has had done.

Not sure C&L still sell them, of course they are obtainable elsewhere if not. One tip is to use a Forstner bit to drill the recess, in Brian Lewis's day I think he gave instructions on how to fit them. To be honest I can't really see many instances when only 2 connections need to be made.

A length of suitable cable will no doubt be a lot cheaper. I already have a 12vdc 5 amp supply available and some cable.

OK so the use of an outside shed might be possible, you mention a low-voltage connecting wire, how low and could it be battery powered perhaps instead? Just depends on how much juice is needed, I do have a 12vdc lithium re-chargeable battery which I use mainly for use with LEDs, very rarely needs charging is this likely to be a possibility? As you mention a USB stick is the low-voltage 5vdc?

Modelu slide chairs (2 bolt GWR I think) are very accurate but you still have the problem of fixing them being resin, superglue is the only way I know of and then there is the colour, originally red now a light grey. Now if he made them pluggable...

On my hit list but my main problem is where exactly do I put the printer? I already have 2 Inkjets, Laser, FDM and even a pen plotter (packed in box for the moment). Elastic sided houses or TARDIS not yet invented ( I think). I do have a small order in the pipeline from Phil so only when I receive it, will I be able to compare the various offerings. At the moment my preference is for Exactoscale. You might wonder why 2 inkjets, well the HP one comes with a scanner (main reason for purchase) and the Epson user-defined page length (max 1120mm approx) is very handy.

Small point but the exactoscale chairs in the photo are for P4, they do some for EM/00 but they are only available from EMGS whereas the P4 ones are available from both Scalefour and EMGS. At one time C&L did sell the Exactoscale range as well, so they could have come from them some time ago. Just had another look at the original photo and the light brown chair is definitely Exactoscale and designed for P4 as you can see it is shorter than the other one. Whichever slidechair you use, it is likely to fall off unless you use superglue and even then it can be a bit uncertain. In the prototype the chair is bolted to the rail, possible in 7mm but not 4mm (go on prove me wrong someone!).

The one on the left looks suspiciously like an Exactoscale one. I can't pass judgment on the new siderail chairs yet as my recent order has yet to arrive.

Had a few minutes, the article was by Keith Baker and Bill Baker "Light your Lamp" in Railway Modeller May 1983.

Hi, The effect of painting the fibres is not necessarily instantaneous and no doubt depends on the type of paint. The best way of introducing fibres into a lamp is from the side. You can carefully bend the fibre by placing a hot soldering iron close to (but not touching) where the bend is needed. You should ensure that there is sufficient fibre past the bend so that gravity does the work. The lamp will need larger holes to allow entry of the fibres. The size of hole should be large enough to take the insualtion sleeve (black preferred) from single core wire. The sleeve should fitted over the fibre once in the lamp so that it is a snug fit. The excess is removed with a new scalpel blade. It's all in the original article "Pipe your light" (I think), so you should be able to find it in the Modellers online backnumbers, I think it was probably 1979 or thereabouts. Using this method it is possible to have 2 fibres per lamp, one front and one back but these days it is just easier to have an SMD LED instead, which weren't available at that time.

Painting fibre optic is likely, no certain to, damage it, resulting in more light loss. I remember, and I think others will too an article in the Railway Modeller from the early 80s, possibly end of the 70's (not sure) by the late Bill Baker, which details the best method of installing a fibre optic cable without it showing. The M&H lamps are large enough to easily take an SMD LED and you will get more light as well as not being visible.

On my last batch of etched signal posts from PPD in 4mm scale I included a tall post, around 42ft mainly for the Kingswear layout group but of course not very often needed for LSWR as they very quickly went over to lattice posts.

Here is a photo of the signals from the rear

It is a fairly stright forward signal, I have built MR signals in both 4mm and 7mm. I have included a photo of 2 bracket signals I made a little while ago, painting is in the style of the LMS period, so a little different. Parts were mainly from Wizard (MSE), though posts were from own brass etchings. I take no credit for the rest of the scene, though I did build all the pointwork.

Given the general area, not LSWR, more like LBSC or SECR, bracket structures were similar.

The type of bracket signal needed would probably largely depend on which of the pre-Group railways the model is based on, though of course there was the SR version of things as well!

Dapol's bracket signal looks like it might be a GWR Bracket signal, but it does have some deficencies (well I would say that of course but it does), why not go the whole hog and build a proper one using Wizard Model parts, at least the operating cranks etc will look prototypical, I know that some railways employed the lever that Dapol have used to work the bracket arm but neither the Southern or GWR to my knowledge have employed such a device.

Maybe not but that was what I was asked for and I couldn't really do one without the other.

Probably more detail than is really needed to make a model but useful nonetheless

I have got front and back photos of the prototype which I will try and post tomrrow

It was about 3 years since last there but the level crossing immediately after the roundabout as you either enter Civray or take the bypass had gone, no barriers or rails just tarmac.

Yes seen the viaduct between Civray and Confolens etc I think. I can still remember the line terminating at Civray (it branched off at another of your haunts, St Saviol) with grain wagons in the station, closed to passengers of course before the line was truncated and the level crossing removed. Not been over for couple of years because of Covid and now other events look set to prevent a visit this year.

Still in Exeter (Central) I see, done that one in 7mm scale. Yes even the Ground Signals are lit.

The best way with any live "frog" point is to hardwire the blades to the stock rails. The common crossing(s) should be isolated from the point blades and polarity switched by contacts on the point motor or micro switch. Diode matrix/CDU is fine for DC, DCC use route setting. Do not rely on the blades contacting the stock raiis for electrical continuity, they will fail, sooner or later.

I have included plans of the station in the photos, the second station and a rough outline of the special crossing needed to access it from the main line